Little



h 2 Sheets-Sheet "2. j M. C. DOOLITTLEL Gate.

No'. '2.25,51'2. Patented Mar. 16,1880.

firm/0W ATTORNEY wnmzsses v V INVENTOR e w a m NVFETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. 0. 7.

PATENT Orrin MOSES (J. DOOLITTLE, OF FORT MADISON, IOWA.

GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,512, dated March 16, 1880.

Application filed October 30, 1879.

V which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in farmgates, the object being to provide a gate of such construction that it may be readily opened or closed by lever-power in conjunction with the weight of the gate; and to that end my invention consists in the combination, with a gate-panel having rollers pivoted to the opposite sides of one of its end uprights, of a shifting reversely-inclined trackway constructed and arranged to support one of said rollers on its upper surface or edge and open the gate by varying the inclination of the trackway, its lower edge engaging with the lower roller for shutting the gate.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of my improved gate in its closed position; and Fig. 2, a similar view, showing the relative position of parts when the gate is open. Fig. 3is another view in perspective, illustrating the gate when partly closed.

A represents the gate-sill, and B B the gateposts. 0 is the gate-panel, the end bar, a, of which is provided with a spring latch-bolt, b, which engages with the reverselyinclined latch-plate c, the latter being provided with the vertical slot 0, within which the bolt b ongages to lock the gate. To the gate-post B are secured the brackets or hangers O 0 which receive in their outer ends the journals or pivots D D, attached to the gate, said pivots being of sufficient length to allow the gate to have a free vertical movement, for a purpose hereinafter described.

E is a shifting or oscillating reversely-inclined trackway, and is provided with oppositelyprojecting arms F F, which extend through staples or keepers Gr G, secured to the gate-post, said staples serving the double purpose of supporting the trackway insuch a manner as to allow the latter to have a limited vertical movement imparted thereto, and also serving to limit the adjustment of said trackway.

H H are curved arms, which extend forward on opposite sides of the upright I, the upper edges of said arms constituting a reversely-inclined trackway, J, upon which is supported the conical roller K, which latter is journaled upon a stud, is, attached to the rear side of upright I. The lower edges of the two arms H H also constitute a reversely-inclined trackway, L, which is adapted to engage with the conical roller M, journaled upon a stud, m, attached to the upright I.

Hanger or bracket 0 is provided with the operating-levers N N. To the short ends n n of said levers are secured chains or bands 0 0', their lower ends being secured to the outer ends of the arms F F of the adjustable or shifting trackway.

Having described the construction of the several parts of my improved gate, I will now proceed to explain its operation.

When the gate is in its closed position, the Springactuating latch-bolt is retained within the vertical slot in the latch-plate, and the conical roller K is supported upon the central and lowest portion of the reversely-inclined trackway J. When it is desired to open the gate inwardly, the outer end of the lever N is depressed, which operates, through the chain 0, to raise the arm F of the trackway and raise the latter bodily, thus lifting the gate and raising the spring latch-bolt from the vertical slotiu the latch-plate and unlatching the gate. Thelever, beingfurther depressed, serves to shift the trackway to such an inclination that the conical roller which is supported on the upper edge of the trackway, and which serves to support the entire weight of the gate, will roll down the inclined trackway and force the outer or free end of the gate to swing standards l 1, between which are pivoted the around inwardly until the inclinedroller strikes the stop P at the end of the arm H, when the gate is brought to rest in its open position, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

To close the gate the lever N is depressed, which serves to raise the arm F of the trackway, and thus raise the conical roller K, by

which the gate is supported. At the same time the curved or inclined lower edge of the arm H engages with the conical roller M, and thus the gate is closed by its gravity and the force applied to the roller M through the inclined arm H. After the gate has swung around about three-quarters of the distance from its open to its closed position, the lever is released, to allow the gate to drop into its lowest position and cause the spring latch-bolt to come within the same horizontal plane as the latch-plate, the momentum of the gate being sufficient to carry it the remaining distance, and as the latch-bolt engages with the latch-plate the bolt will automatically engage in the vertical slot and retain the gate in a locked position. I

It will be observed that the gate may be opened either outwardly or inwardly, as de sired, and hence obviates the necessity fordismounting from a horse or carriage to pass through the gate in either direction, the levers being placed at such height as to be easily reached by the occupant of an ordinary vehicle.

It is evident that many slight changes in the construction and relative arrangement of parts might be resorted to without departingoperated by levers and rods constructed and arranged to be operated by the weight of a passing vehicle, if desired; and hence I would have it understood that I do not limit myself {)0 the exact construction shown and described;

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a swinging gate having a supporting roller connected therewith, of a double reversely-inclined traekway supported in bearings attached to the gatepost, and means for raising the central portion of said trackway bodily in a vertical line while'the gate is locked, and to vary the inclination of the trackway as desired for opening and closing the gate, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a swinging gate provided with a latch-bolt constructed to operate automatically and a latchplate attached to one of the gate-posts, said latch-plate provided with an open vertical slot, of a reverse ly-inclined trackway supporting a roller journaled upon the gate, and means for raising the central portion of said trackway bodily in a vertical line while the gate is locked, and thereby raising the gate and disengaging the latch-bolt from the latch-plate, substantially as set forth. 1

3. The combination, with a swinging gate having a conical roller journaled to one of its uprights, of a reversely-inclined trackway provided with oppositely projecting arms and staples or keepers for supporting said arms and allowing the trackway to be moved both vertically and at any desired angle of inclination, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a swinging gate provided with two conical rollers, of a double reversely-inclined trackway, one for supporting one of said rollers and the other for engaging with the other roller, and means for moving said trackways both vertically and at any desired inclination, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a swinging gate, of a double reversely-inclined trackway connected with the gate-post, operating levers and chains for shifting said trackway, and two conical rollers attached to the gate, one of said rollers supported upon the trackway and serving to open the gate, and the other roller adapted to be acted upon by the lower inclined or curved face of the trackway, and serving to assist in closing the gate, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of October, 1879.

MOSES CARROLL DOOLITTLE.

Witnesses:

W. B. FREDERICK, CAMP THOMAS. 

